1991 Scottish Challenge Cup Final

1991 Scottish Challenge Cup Final
Event 1991–92 Scottish Challenge Cup
Hamilton Academical Ayr United
1 0
Date 8 December 1991
Venue Fir Park, Motherwell
Referee Les Mottram (Forth)[1]
Attendance 9,663[1]

The 1991 Scottish Challenge Cup Final, also known as the B&Q Cup Final for sponsorship reasons, was an association football match between Hamilton Academical and Ayr United on 8 December 1991 at Fir Park in Motherwell.[2] It was the second final of the Scottish Challenge Cup, and a continuation of the tournament organised the previous season to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League.

The match was Hamilton Academical's first national final in 56 years since the Scottish Cup Final in 1935; whilst it was Ayr United's second consecutive appearance in the final of the tournament having lost the inaugural final the previous season. The tournament was contested by clubs below the Scottish Premier Division, with both finalists from the First Division. The only goal of the match came from Colin Harris for Hamilton Academical to win 1–0.[1]

Route to the final

Hamilton Academical

Round Opposition Score
First round Alloa Athletic (h) 5–1
Second round Partick Thistle (a) 2–1
Quarter-final East Fife (a) 3–2
Semi-final Raith Rovers (h) 2–1

Hamilton Academical entered the first round with 20 other clubs from the First and Second Divisions; six clubs received random byes into the second round. The club was drawn against Alloa Athletic in the first round at home and won 5–1 at Douglas Park.[3] In the next round Hamilton Academical travelled to Partick Thistle where they won 2–1[3] to progress to the quarter-finals. With eight clubs left in the competition, Hamilton faced East Fife away from home and won 3–2 to qualify for the semi-finals where they played Raith Rovers at Douglas Park to win 2–1 and progress to the final;[3] their first national final since 1935.

Ayr United

Round Opposition Score
First round Dundee (a) 2–0
Second round Stenhousemuir (a) 2–0
Quarter-final Stranraer (h) 2–0
Semi-final Queen of the South (h) 3–2

In the first round Ayr United played Dundee in a repeat of the previous season's final, which the club lost 3–2 after extra time. This time Ayr United won the match 2–0 at Dens Park to progress to the second round.[3] The next round was a match at Ochilview Park to face Stenhousemuir where it ended 2–0 to Ayr United.[3] With eight clubs left in the competition, the club played Stranraer at Somerset Park and won 2–0 for the third consecutive round and progress to the semi-final. The draw for the semi-final paired the club with Queen of the South which Ayr United won 3–2 to reach the final of the tournament for the second year in a row.[3]

Pre-match

Analysis

Both Ayr United and Hamilton Academical played two games each at their respective homes of Somerset Park and Douglas Park, and two away games in the rounds preceding the final. Ayr United scored a total of nine goals and conceded only two before the final, compared with Hamilton Academical's twelve goals scored and five conceded. Ayr United kept a total of three clean sheets whilst Hamilton Academical kept none. This was the first appearance for Hamilton in the Scottish Challenge Cup Final, whereas Ayr United had been defeated in final of the previous season in the competition's inaugural year.[3]

Match

Details

Hamilton Academical
Ayr United
GK Scotland Rab McCulloch
DF Scotland Kevin McKee
DF Canada Colin Miller
MF Scotland Andy Millen
DF Scotland Jim Weir
DF Scotland Paul McKenzie
FW Scotland Colin Harris
MF Scotland Billy Reid
FW Scotland George McCluskey
MF Scotland Gary Clark
MF Scotland Paul McDonald
Manager:
Scotland Billy McLaren
GK Scotland David Purdie
DF Scotland David Kennedy
DF Scotland Garry Agnew
DF England Willie Furphy[4]
DF Scotland Nigel Howard
MF Scotland Paul McLean
MF Scotland Lee Gardner
FW Scotland Tommy Bryce
FW Scotland Ally Graham
MF Scotland Tommy Walker
FW England Mike Smith
Manager:
Scotland George Burley

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bell's Cup, scottishfootballleague.com. Scottish Football League. 2 November 2005. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Scottish League Challenge Cup Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 2011-06-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Scottish Challenge Cup, statto.com. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  4. ↑ Willie Furphy career at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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